


Don't need no second chances

by dreamerbydawn



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Sibling Bonding, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, [Spring break draft clean up], discussion of time travel, happy fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-03
Updated: 2015-04-03
Packaged: 2018-03-21 01:58:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,078
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3673251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamerbydawn/pseuds/dreamerbydawn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Who wouldn't want a chance to go back in time and correct all the flaws in their romantic life? </p>
<p> Ian Gallagher apparently.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't need no second chances

Lip Gallagher likes to think there was a time when he understood his younger brother. Then he'd told him he was gay and he didn't get it, but whatever, it didn't matter to him where Ian put his dick. 

But sometime between him wanting to go to Westpoint and get shot in foreign countries, to him falling in love with Mickey fucking Milkovich, Lip had given up trying. Now he didn't think he'd understand anything about Ian anymore. 

Case in point? His stand on the bizzare conversation transpiring in the Gallagher kitchen right now. 

"Nothing? Really? That's what you're going with?" He demands incredulously of the younger boy. 

"Nothing" Ian confirms with a careless little shrug. 

"Bullshit man, that's fucking bullshit!" Lip declares, gaze switching to his sisters for support. 

"Everybody knows they'll do a few things differently if they had a chance Ian" Fiona insists, backing him up. 

"Also, you ran away" Debbie points out, staring at Ian with the same amount of disbelief as her siblings. 

Somehow, the four oldest Gallagher siblings had wound up in the kitchen discussing impossible things. Well, just one important thing really - the idea of going back in time. 

It started with the youngest sister scowling at her phone and wishing for a time machine, convinced that there was no other way to keep her relationship from burning to the ground. 

Fiona and Lip had both agreed instantly, there were more than a few mistakes in their past relationships that neither of them wouldn't mind a chance to correct. Ian however had a different standpoint on the subject. 

"Yeah I know Debs" The redhead male admits "Still, would you really want everything to be perfect? Good comes with the bad, it's what they say right?"

Lip rolls his eyes at that, because Ian can be such an idealist sometimes. He simply refused to believe shit happened because they lived in a shitty world with shitty people. No, Ian always needed to find the good to justify everything. It's what landed him with the Milkovich afterall. 

"So you don't wish anything had happened differently?" Fiona presses, brows furrowed and confusion clear in her eyes "Or maybe nothing that you wish hadn't happened at all?"

Ian laughs a little at that, the sound entirely hollow before confessing softly "I wish so many things hadn't happened" 

"Then why wouldn't you go back and change them?" Debbie asks, obviously spotting how ridiculous Ian was being.

"Cuz when they suck, they really suck and when they're great, they're amazing. Just the way things are Debs" Ian informs, instantly receiving three identical looks of 'that's-fucking-bllshit-and-you-know-it'

Lip is about to launch some serious effort into protesting that sorry excuse of an explanation, when the backdoor is pushed open by Mickey Milkovich. 

"You better be ready Gallagher, I ain't waiting for your ass" Comes the very Milkovich greeting, that like always manages to make Ian smile. 

The redhead is nodding, already draining his glass of juice and ready to leave, when Lip decides there may just be one person who can convince Ian that he's being stupid. 

"Hey Mickey!" He calls loudly, causing the Milkovich's eyebrows to instantly shoot up "If you could go back in time and change the things that happened between you and Ian, would you do it?"

The darkhaired boy is clearly surprised, his eyes flicking once in his partners direction. Ian seems content to simply sit back and wait for an answer though. Mickey gives it a second of serious thought before raising his shoulders in a quick shrug. 

"Nah, think we're good" He says "What about you firecrotch?" 

Lip is staring with open mouthed surprise, gaze volleying between the couple. By his side, his sisters are gaping as well, none of them missing Ian's small smile.

"I dunno Mick" He informs very seriously, Lip immediately focusing on his brother again "Think there's a stain on my favorite shirt that I wouldn't mind not having"

"Favorite shirt my ass, you didn't even like it till I got sauce on it" Mickey scoffs, middle finger already directed at his boyfriend. 

"So you admit it was you?" Ian asks, straightening up in his seat now, his smile widening. 

"Fuck you, and that is my shirt anyway" The shorter boy protests. 

"We've talked about this, anything I've worn more than you have, is mine" Ian argues, smile still plastered to his face. 

Lip can see they've already forgotten their company, Ian's on his feet, sliding the glass across the counter in the general direction of the sink as he prepares to leave. 

"Seriously? You guys wouldn't use a time machine if you could?" He interrupts, making the couple turn back in his direction. 

"Who said anything about not using it?" Mickey demands, eyebrow once again quirking. 

"Yeah, I know I wouldn't mind going back and telling myself to have more hope, and that it'll get better. I know I needed it" Ian adds thoughtfully. 

Lip notices the way Mickey's eyes widen for a second, like he's considering that option too. 

"I'd probably much myself in the face if I said that shit to me" Mickey decides, Ian chuckling at that. 

"What do you mean probably?" He asks, eyes fond as he watches at his boyfriend. 

"No fucking way" The older Gallagher brother yanks them out of their personal bubble "He got married, you ran away, he beat the shit out of you, you cheated. Remember any of that?"

"Pretty fucking well thanks" Mickey snipes, irritated with the reminder. 

"Wouldn't you change that then?" Fiona questions, gaze intense like she was trying to lift the truth out of their mind. 

"Not those times, not one line. He was worth every second of it" Ian replies earnestly. 

"Yeah alright tough guy" Mickey cuts in before Ian can continue "Don't get fucking sappy on me"

The redhead simply rolls his eyes and grabs his jacket, ready to follow the other boy out, before changing his mind and pausing with a hand on the door, calling to his little sister. 

"Hey Debs? If a guy isn't worth the bad things, you're probably sharing the good moments with the wrong person too" He quips, the advice accompanied by an easy smile , right before the door shuts behind him. 

Debbie nods and Fiona gapes but Lip simply stares. There's not a lot he understands about his little brother anymore, but somewhere along the way, the kid seems to have become wiser than him.

**Author's Note:**

> This one was inspired by Doctor who and yes, I slipped in a little quote from River Song. *Shrugs innocently*
> 
> Comments/ Kudos are love!!


End file.
